Correlated expression of a B-lymphocyte-specific glycoprotein (gp27/35) and the EBV receptor/C3 receptor complex in sublines from the same Burkitt lymphoma.

A series of virus-producer and non-producer sublines, derived from the Burkitt lymphoma line Jijoye and its P3HR-1 clone, were previously found to differ in the expression of EBV receptors and, in parallel, C3 receptors. The differences could be related to an "internal selection" caused by the cytopathic P3HR-1 virus variant, favouring the growth of receptor-negative cells. We have now analyzed the same lines for the expression of a B-lymphocyte-specific glycoprotein (gp27/35). A close parallellism was found between the expression of the EBV receptor-complement receptor complex and the glycoprotein, measured by quantitative absorption. The results favour a relationship between gp27/35 and EBV/C3 receptor expression.